Head protecting headwear

ABSTRACT

A peaked helmet in which the rigid outer shell is provided with an energy absorbing peak. The peak includes a stiff, crescentshaped core formed of a close-grained, synthetic plastic sponge material, whose concave marginal edge portion is of reduced thickness and is bonded to a forwardly directed ledge extending from the front edge of the shelf by its reduced marginal edge portion.

United States Patent [191 Plastino HEAD PROTECTING HEADWEAR [22] Filed:Jan. 7, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 216,118

[4 Feb. 12, 1974 Primary Examiner-James R. Boler Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Gottlieb, Rackman, Reisman & Kirsch [57] ABSTRACT A peaked helmetin which the rigid outer shell is provided with an energy absorbingpeak. The peak in cludes a stiff, crescent-shaped core formed of aclosegrained, synthetic plastic sponge material, whose concave marginaledge portion is of reduced thickness and is bonded to a forwardlydirected ledge extending from the front edge of the shelf by its reducedmarginal edge portion.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures [52] US. Cl 2/3 R [51] Int. Cl A42b 3/00[58] Field of Search 2/3, 5, 6, 181, 183

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,514,787 6/1970 Kennedy,Jr. 2/3 R 2,892,194 6/1959 Lee et al 2/3 R 2,846,683 8/1958 Dye et a]2/3 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 735,389 8/1955 Great Britain 2/3 Ri I'm: 58 25 5 53: 14 115 51;? 62 [15; 152 1 Patented Feb. 12, 19143,790,962

2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Feb. 12, 1974 2 Sheets-Sheet The presentinvention relates to head protecting headwear, and especially to headprotecting headwear, of the helmet type, such as used by equesterians,and is an extension of an improvement over my invention described andclaimed in my copending application, Ser. No. 93,005, filed Nov. 27,1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,101.

Headwear of the type to which the present invention relates, asheretofore made, generally comprises a rigid, outer head-enclosingshell, which generally contains in its interior a shock absorbing crownenclosing shell, to absorb and snub blows redeived on the crown area ofthe helmet and thereby protect the crown of the head.

In my copending application, I have described and claimed a helmet ofthe character described which also protects the front and rear of thewearers head against injury resulting from blows struck against thefront and rear of the helmet. In my said copending application, I havedescribed a helmet provided with a floating head encirculing band at thehead receiving opening of its shell; such band being of a circumferenceless than the circumference of the head receiving opening of the helmetand being secured to the helmet along its sides, in a manner to providea gap between the band and the front and rear of the helmet shell.

The present invention is directed to the provision of head protectingheadwear or helmets which will afford even greater protection againstblows struck at the front of the helmet toabsorb and snub the same to agreater extent than possible with helmets of the prior art and whichwill be particularly effective to afford the greater protection to theeyes of the wearer against blows struck on the front of the helmet.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved helmets, ofthe character described, that provide such additional protection byrelatively simple means that do not involve any departure fromconventional shape and appearance of the helmet; which do not materiallyaffect the weight thereof on the head nor materially increase the costof production thereof.

Generally stated, the invention resides in the provision on headprotecting headwear of the character described of a visor which, thoughnormally stiff and retaining its shape, is stiffly compressable andshock absorbing and also yieldable to be deflected under the shock of ablow against it to be depressed toward the wearers face and thereby notonly enhance its snubbing effect but also, because it is deflectedtowards the face at approximately the level of the eyes, affordsprotection for the eyes not obtainable with prior art helmets.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the head protectingheadwear of the present invention will become more readily apparent tothose skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings, and from the description following. It it to beunderstood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way ofillustration only, to make the principles and practice of the inventionmore readily comprehensible and without any intent of limiting theinvention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings: a

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a head protectingarticle of headwear of the present in- .vention; partly broken away toshow details of construction;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational and partly vertical sectional view of thesame;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional and partly elevational viewof the article, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the head protecting article with thechin strap shown in full;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the inner visorreinforcing element ofthe article of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

Referring now, in greater detail, to the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the drawings, the same show a head protecting article ofheadwear, in the form of a riding cap, generally designated as 10,consisting of an outer shell, 12, preferably formed of a rigid, shockresistent material, such as rigid synthetic plastic or a metal, and apeak or visor, generally designated as 14, extending from the front ofthe shell 12. While the illustrated embodiment shows a :shell 12 asprovided with an exterior decorative fabric cover, 16, it will bereadily understood that the present invention may apply to any otherform of head protecting gear, such as cyclers or workers helmets, inwhich at least the exterior covering 16, may be eliminated and replacedwith another form of surface decoration, such as a coat of coloredenamel, or the like.

The outer shell 12, houses in its interior a head crown enclosing,protective shell, 20, having shock absorbing characteristics. While anyform of such buffer shell, conventionally used in like articles. of theprior art, may be utilized in connection with the headwear of thepresent invention, I prefer to use a shell 20 formed of stifflycompressable material, such as close-grain polystyrene foam, formed ofexpandable granular polystyrene. As conventional, the crown protectingshell 20 has the edges of its opening terminate short of the edges ofthe opening of the outer shell 12, generally at a point approximately ona level with the inner edge of a headband that is generally secured tothe marginal edge portion of the opening of shell 20, which head-band,in the illustrated embodiment, is generally designated as 22.

Head-band 22 comprises an inner, shell-supporting band, 24, formed of amaterial that is stiffly flexible, as of relatively thick polyethynesheet material, as of approximately l/l 6 inch or slightly lesserthickness. Such band, while longitudinally readily flexible, istransversely stiff and may be relatively easily and economicallyproduced, as by cutting from large sheets of such material. Band 24 maybe of conventional width and has secured to its outer or lower edge, asby stitching 25, the lower edge of the sweat-band strip, 26. Band 24 issecured to the sides of the outer shell 12, preferably by clamps orrivets, 28, in'a manner to leave a space, 30, between the front of theouter shell 12 and the band, 24, and a space, 32, between the rear ofthe shell 12 and the band 24.

To render the head-band 22 of the present invention adjustable forvarious head sizes, the band 24 may be provided with overlapping ends,preferably at a point at the rear of the outer shell 12; such ends beingdesignated as 40 and 42 (FIG. 1). These ends 40 and 42 may be adjustablyinterengaged in any desirable manner and by any suitable means to varythe band circumference to fit different head sizes. ln the illustratedembodiment, the means for adjustably interengaging the overlapping bandends 40 and 42 comprises a series of longitudinally spaced openings, 44,formed in at least one of the band ends, as 40, and at least oneopening, 46, formed in the outer of the overlapping band ends. Theoverlapping band ends 40 and 42 may be adjustably interengaged by meansof a suitable clip, generally designated as 50, which may be passedthrough the opening 46 and a selected one of openings 44. Preferably, inorder to avoid possible head damaging bulges of the clip 50, the lattermay be made in the form illustrated, from a strip of dead-bend metal, toprovide the flat head portion 52 and the foldable leg portions 54.

To permit access to the overlapping ends 40 and 42 of the band 24, forpurposes of adjustment of its length and to avoid uncomfortablebulges inthe sweat-band strip 26 that may be consequent upon adjustment of band24, sweat-band strip 26 may be noncontinuous and may have its endsterminate at the perforated portions of the band ends 40 and 42.

For the wearers comfort, sweat-band strip 26 may be soft andcompressable in thickness, as by being formed of an outer fabric orleather ply, 56, and an inner thin plastic sheeting ply, 58, and anintermediate ply of padding, 60, which may comprise polyurethane or likesponge material.

To protect the wearer of the helmet against neck injury, due to severeand sudden shock against the front of the helmet, as well as againstinjury to the upper face portion and the eyes that might result fromsuch blows, the present invention provides for such peak to comprise aninner element or insert, or core, generally des ignated as 62, formed ofenergy absorbing material, such as non-rigid but stiff and stifflycompressable material that will bend under impact, such as high impact,close-grained, synthetic sponge material. One such material suitable forthe purpose is available on the market under the trade name as Ensolite.Element 62 may be molded in crescent shape and may be of substantialthickness along its forward area, 64, as about onequarter inch thick, soas to make it relatively rigidly stiff, and may be formed with an inner,relatively narrow, marginal edge portion, 66, at its concave or inneredge, of lesser thickness, forming a shoulder, 68, between the two coreportions. Element 62 is preferably enclosed in a pocket-like coverformed by upper and lower fabric cover sections, 70 and 72, whosemarginal edge portions at its opening overlap the inner portion 66 ofelement 62.

To secure the peak 62 in place, rigid shell 12 is formed at its forwardend with an integral narrow ledge, 74, and the inner marginal edgeportion 66 of element 62 is arranged to overlap ledge 74, preferablyfrom above, and is bonded thereto. The overlapping cover portions 70 and72 are then secured to the shell 12 or to its covering.

It has been ascertained that a peak having a core 62, such as described,while it is sufficiently rigid to serve its purpose of manipulating thehelmet on and off the head, is also highly efficient as shock absorbingmeans, because of its inherent compressability under shock and becauseof its flexible yieldability at the point of demarcation betweenportions 64 and 66 where it is of reduced thickness. Also, because it isflexibly yieldable at that point under the pressure of a shock againstit, the peak will fold downwardly over the face to serve as a protectionfor the eyes and the upper part of the face.

The helmet of the present invention may be provided with a chin strap tomaintain it in adjusted position on the head, to the size and shape ofwhich it may itself be adjusted. In the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the drawings, such chin strap is shown to comprise a pairof flaps, each generally designated as 76, each of roughly triangularshape and dependently secured to one side of the helmet, between theouter shell 12 and the head-band 22. Each flap 76 is secured to theshell 12 by its base portion, preferably at two points; namely at itsforward corner on the rivet 28, securing the band 24 to the shell 12,and adjacent its rear corner by a second rivet, 78. Each flap 76 isformed with a band extension 80, extending from its rear edge,preferably at a point below the edge of the shell 12. The ends of theextensions 80 are joined by a connecting piece, 82, each end of which isreentrantly folded against the inner face of the end of an extension 80and is secured thereto. Eyelets 84 are formed through each joined end ofeach extension 80 with connecting piece 82, through which a lace 86, maybe passed to adjust the space between the ends of the flap extension 80to fit the size and shape of the head of the wearer at a point below thehelmet, shen worn on the head.

A strap 88 is secured by one end, to the lower end of one of the flaps76; its other end being adjustably securable in a buckle 90 secured tothe lower end of the other flap 76. Chin-cupping means may be providedon strap 88 which may consist of an appropriately located widenedportion 92 in which is formed a chin receiving opening, 94, that may becovered by a fabric portion 96, that forms a cup for the chin end.

It may here be stated that the peak or visor of the present inventionmay be used in association with a head protecting helmet independentlyof the floating head band described herein and that when so used, itwill enhance the safety characteristics due to its inherentcompressability and by further reason of its flexible connection to thehelmet, as hereinabove explained.

This complete the description of the head protecting headwear or helmetof the present invention. It will be readily apparent that such headwearwill provide enhanced protection against head, neck and upper faceinjury to the wearer. It will also be apparent that such headwear may beworn with increased comfort and that it will not differ in appearancefrom similar helmets of the prior art nor involve any substantialdifference in the weight thereof. It will be additionally apparent thatthe helmet of the present invention may be produced at relatively littleor no increase in cost over similar helmets of the prior art.

It will further be apparent that numerous variations and modificationsmay be made in the head protecting headwear of the present invention, byanyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of theinvention hereinabove set forth, and without the exercise of anyinventive ingenuity.

What I claim is:

1. Head protecting headwear comprising a rigid outer shell having a headreceiving opening, said shell having a relatively narrow ledge extendingfrom its forward edge at a downwardly and outwardly sloping anglerelative thereto and forming a base for a peak and a peak for said shellincluding a core formed of stiff energy absorbing material, said corebeing of crescent shape and having an outer relatively thicker portionand a marginal portion of relatively reduced thickness along its innerconcave edge, said core disposed with its said relatively thinnermarginal edge portion overlapping said ledge and bonded thereto.

2. The headwear of claim 1, wherein said core is formed of a non-rigidstiff and stiffly compressable bendable material.

3. The headwear of claim 2, wherein said material comprises high impact,close-grained, synthetic sponge. Y

4. The headwear of claim 1, wherein said relatively thinner marginaledge portion of said core is offset relative to a surface of said coreand overlies said ledge.

5. The headwear of claim 4, wherein said core is disposed within apocket of substantially corresponding shape, with its concave edgefacing the opening of said pocket, said pocket having marginal edgeportions of its opening project beyond said core, said projectingmarginal edge portions secured to said shell.

6. The headwear of claim 5, wherein said shell is provided with a headengaging band connected thereto within the head receiving openingthereof, said head engaging band comprising a longitudinally flexibleand relatively transversely stiff band of lesser circumference than thehead receiving opening of said shell, means connecting said band to saidshell at the sides of said shell in a manner to leave a space betweensaid band and said shell at the front and rear thereof, and a sweat bandconnected by its lower edge to the lower edge of said band.

7. The headwear of claim 6, wherein said means connecting said band tosaid shell comprises a rivet extending through said band and said shell.

8. The headwear of claim 6, wherein said band is formed with overlappingend portions and means are provided for adjustably interengaging saidend portions of said band to thereby vary its circumference for wear onheads of various sizes.

9. The article of headwear of claim 7, wherein said sweat band isnon-continuous and has its ends terminate short of the overlapping endportions of said band.

10. The headwear of claim 7, including chin engaging means, said chinengaging means comprising flaps of pliable sheet material secured by oneedge in dependent relation to said shell between said shell and saidhead band, at each side of said shell on said rivet, and at a secondpoint by a rivet extending through said flap and said shell; each saidflap having a rearwardly directed extension at a point below the edge ofthe head receiving opening of said shell, adjustable means con nectingthe ends of said extensions, one of said flaps having a strap connectedthereto at its lower end, the other of said flaps having means foradjustably receiving the free end of said strap.

11. The headwear of claim 10, wherein said strap is provided with meansfor receiving the end of the wear-

1. Head protecting headwear comprising a rigid outer shell having a headreceiving opening, said shell having a relatively narrow ledge extendingfrom its forward edge at a downwardly and outwardly sloping anglerelative thereto and forming a base for a peak and a peak for said shellincluding a core formed of stiff energy absorbing material, said corebeing of crescent shape and having an outer relatively thicker portionand a marginal portion of relatively reduced thickness along its innerconcave edge, said core disposed with its said relatively thinnermarginal edge portion overlapping said ledge and bonded thereto.
 2. Theheadwear of claim 1, wherein said core is formed of a non-rigid stiffand stiffly compressable bendable material.
 3. The headwear of claim 2,wherein said material comprises high impact, close-grained, syntheticsponge.
 4. The headwear of claim 1, wherein said relatively thinnermarginal edge portion of said core is offset relative to a surface ofsaid core and overlies said ledge.
 5. The headwear of claim 4, whereinsaid core is disposed within a pocket of substantially correspondingshape, with its concave edge facing the opening of said pocket, saidpocket having marginal edge portions of its opening project beyond saidcore, said projecting marginal edge portions secured to said shell. 6.The headwear of claim 5, wherein said shell is provided with a headengaging band connected thereto within the head receiving openingthereof, said head engaging band comprising a longitudinally flexibleand relatively transversely stiff band of lesser circumference than thehead receiving opening of said shell, means connecting said band to saidshell at the sides of said shell in a manner to leave a space betweensaid band and said shEll at the front and rear thereof, and a sweat bandconnected by its lower edge to the lower edge of said band.
 7. Theheadwear of claim 6, wherein said means connecting said band to saidshell comprises a rivet extending through said band and said shell. 8.The headwear of claim 6, wherein said band is formed with overlappingend portions and means are provided for adjustably interengaging saidend portions of said band to thereby vary its circumference for wear onheads of various sizes.
 9. The article of headwear of claim 7, whereinsaid sweat band is non-continuous and has its ends terminate short ofthe overlapping end portions of said band.
 10. The headwear of claim 7,including chin engaging means, said chin engaging means comprising flapsof pliable sheet material secured by one edge in dependent relation tosaid shell between said shell and said head band, at each side of saidshell on said rivet, and at a second point by a rivet extending throughsaid flap and said shell; each said flap having a rearwardly directedextension at a point below the edge of the head receiving opening ofsaid shell, adjustable means connecting the ends of said extensions, oneof said flaps having a strap connected thereto at its lower end, theother of said flaps having means for adjustably receiving the free endof said strap.
 11. The headwear of claim 10, wherein said strap isprovided with means for receiving the end of the wearer''s chin.